Coin chute



Feb l5, 1938. G. L. CHERRY ET AL 21,108,651

COIN CHUTE Filed Aug. 14, 1936 l'llllll N Imgnmul 34@ 24 34 up l q Patented Feb. 15, 1938 a' UNAITEo-STTS PATENT oFFlcE `coIN CHUTE George llt-Cherry, Western Springs, and Valen- 'tine' H. Dupre, Oak Park, Ill., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkA v Appiication August 14, 1936, serial No. 95,994 l Claims.

This invention relates to coin chutes and more particularly to multi-channel coin chutes for coin collectors such as Vthose employed at telephone pay stations.

A usual type of telephone coin collector is disclosed, for example, in the U. S. patent to O. F. Forsberg, 1,043,219, issued November 5, 1912, and comprisesan upper housing upon which is mounted what is commonly called a coin` gauge having a plurality of openings rfor receiving coins of different denominations.` Associated with .the coin gauge is a lcoin chute having a` plurality of coin channels communicating at their upper Vends with the openings in the coin gauge, Athe channels guiding the coins-into a cash compartment or a refund tray, depending upon whether the desired services are secured. A coin Vchute of this type has heretofore been constructed from a plurality of die cast parts anda single cover plate punched fromsheet lead abutting an outer .side of.v one of vthe die` cast parts, or from a single die cast .partV having the coin channels formed on opposite sides thereof and two punched steel cover plates, one at each sideof the single die casting for retaining thecoinsinthefchannels, the several parts of each construction being retained in assembled-relation by a plurality of screw and nut assemblies or screws@ Objects of this invention are to reduce the oost of manufacture and simplify the assembly and dismantleme'nt of such-multi-channel coin chutes.

In accordance with the above objects one embodiment ofthis invention contemplates atelephone coin collectorrcoin chute wherein the several abutting parts thereof are formed with keyhole slots and slotted or shouldered lugs, the key-hole slots in one part interlocking with the shouldered lugs projecting from the adjacent part to rmly hold the several parts in predetermined assembled relation.

This invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which f Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, of a portion of a telephone coin collector` of a type capable of employing a multi-channel coin chute embodying the features of this invention and comprising two diecast parts and a single cover plate;

Fig. 2 is an nlarged elevational side View of a coin chute of the type shown in Fig.l 1 `with the two foremost abutting parts partly broken away to show the coin guiding channels; n

Fig. 3 illustrates fragmentary end views on a reduced scale o-f the several coin chute parts of Fig. 2 before being assembled;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the coin chute of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a plan View of a modified form of coin chute embodying the features of this invention and comprising a single die cast part and two cover plates; v Figf 6 is an enlarged vertical detail section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a detail section similar to that ofFig. 6 of the modified form of coin chute of Fig. 5; 'v Fig. 8 is an elevational sideview of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevationalview of the upper left hand corner of the coin chute of Fig. 2 with the cover plate locked in position, andY 'y 4 .Fig 10 is a perspective View of tl'iev preferred vform of lug. y

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. l wherein a coin .chute embodying the invention isshown applied to a telephone coin collector, illustrated fragmentarily, of the general type disclosed in the herein mentioned Forsberg patent, the Anumeral I0 indicates .an upper Ahou'sing for-the coin collector having on its upper wall a usual coin gauge II. `'Ihe coin gauge has a plurality of` openings, one of which is shown at I2, through which coins of different denominations may be deposited for passage through channels,.one corresponding to each of the gauge openings I2, provided in a laterally inclined multipart coin chute indicated in generalv at I3, the channels communicating at their upper ends with the openings I2 of the coingauge II. The coin channels guide the coinsdeposited into the yopenings I2 to mechanism (not shown) uwhich eventually discharges the coin either into a' cash compartment or a refund tray, depending upon whether the desired services vare secured. The present invention is concerned with the construction of the multi-part coin chute I3 and particularly tothe means provided for; firmly holding the several parts thereof in predetermined assembled relation, which is .shown Vmore clearly in the figures subsequentto Fig.l 1. For a more detailed description of the telephone coin collector and its manner of operation reference may be had to theabovementioned Forsberg patent. Referring particularly to'Figs'. 2, 3 and 4 there is illustrated a coin chute comprising't'wodie cast parts I4 and I5 cast in a well known manner from .a suitable molten Zinc alloyvor `other die casting metal and a single cover plateY I5 punched from flat sheet steel or other suitable material abutting anouter vside of thevpart- I4. Formed 4in the part I4 are` open coin channels Il and I8 (Figs. 2 and 4) which start at the upper end of the chute and which are dened by end walls 2l and 22 and 23 and 24, respectively. The channels I 1 and I8 are intended for the reception of five and ten cent coins, respectively, the coin following along a path provided by the channels to a point (not shown) whereupon they follow a common path` to an exit 25 at the lower end of the chute I3. Formed in the part I5 is a coin channel 2B at the upper end of the chute which is deiined by end walls 29 and 30 intended for e the reception of twenty-live cent coins, the-coin following along a path provided by the channel to an exit 3| at the lower end of the chute-I3 In addition to the open coin guiding channels I1, I8 and 28 formed in the die cast parts I4 and I5 during its casting there is also cast a plurality of openings, slots, and guide surfaces of various shapes, all for a definite purpose in the operation of the telephone coin collector of which the multi-channel coin chute I3 is a part or for saving weight, but further reference thereto is not believed necessary to a complete understanding of this invention. v

In order to simplify the assembly of the die cast parts I4 and I5 and the steel cover plate I6 into a complete coin chute I3 and also provide for quick dismantlement thereof in case of repairs improved means is provided for rmly securing the parts together in predetermined relation.

The part I5 during the casting operation has formed integral therewith a plurality of pins or lugs 34 which project from the forward side thereof (Fig. 2) and are of a length sufcient to extend through circular apertures 35 (Fig. 6) formed in the part I4 during the casting thereof and also through slots 36 (Fig. 8) produced in the' cover plate I6 during the forming thereof. 'Ihe part I4 has also cast integral therewith a plurality of pins or lugs 31 which pro-ject from the forward side thereof (Fig. 2) and are similar tothe lugs 34 of the part I 4 except that they have a length suicient to extend only through slots 38 lformed in the cover plate I6 and similar to Vthe first mentioned slots 36.

adjacent their outer ends they are formed with diametrically opposite vertical slots 4I which provide a reduced cross section along the length of the lug for a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the cover plate I6. The diameter of the lugs 34 is such that they t snugly in the apertures 35 in the part I4. The slots 36 and 38 in the cover plate I6 are of the key-ho-le type, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, being formed with a lower generally circular portion 42 of slightly larger diameter than the lugs 34 and 31 and an upper narrow portion 43 formed with parallel vertical side facesvhaving a spacing corresponding to the thickness of the lugs 34 and 31 at the points thereof. where the oppositely disposed slots 4I are formed. The key-hole slots 36 and 38 in the cover plate I6 have an interlocking relation with the slotted portions of the lugs 34 and 31, respectively, when the parts are assembled.

To assemble the coin chute parts I4, I5 and I6, it is merely necessary to first place the parts I4 and I5 in their relative positions, the slotted lugs 34 of the part I5 being entered in the apertures 35 of the part I4 with their outer slotted ends projecting from the forward side of the part I4 and in alinement with the outer slotted, ends of gether.

lugs 34 and 31. This movement is continued untila forwardly extending lug 44 cast on the upper rend of the part I4 (Figs. 2 and 8) and riding on the inne-r surface of the cover plate moves into a slot 45 punched in the upper edge face of the cover plate whereupon the coin chute parts I4 and I5 and cover plate I6 are firmly locked to- To make the locking tighter and more positive the cover plate I6 may be formed slightly concave, as indicated in Fig. 3, so that the parts when assembled together will be held under tension.

In. order to dismantle the coin chute a screw driver blade or other suitable instrument is inserted in the cover plate slot 45 and the cover plate sprung away from the part I4 until the lug 44 thereon is disengaged from the slot 45 whereupon the cover plate is free to be moved upwardly to a position where it may be removed from the slotted lugs 34 and 31, following which the parts I4 and I5 may be separated.

A modified form of coin chute embodying the features of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 7, wherein a single die cast part 50 is provided which has coin channels 5I, 52 and 53 corresponding to the coin channels I1, I8 and 28, respectively, of the previously described type of coin chute I3, formed on opposite sides thereof, and two punched steel cover plates 54 and 55 one at each side of the part 50 for retaining the coins in the channels. Projecting from op-posite sides of the part 5U (Fig. 7) and integral therewith are a, plurality of lugs 56 slotted similarly to the previously described lugs 34 and 31. The cover plates 54 and 55 are each formed with a plurality of key-hole slots 51 similar to the key-hole slots 36 previously described, the slots 51 interlocking with the lugs 56 to hold the part 5U and the covers in predetermined assembled relation. The mounting and removal of the cover plates 54 and 55 upon or from the part 50 of the coin chute illustrated in Figs. 5 and '7 is similar to that of the other type of coin chute previously described.

From the above description it will be apparent that the invention provides for economy in the construction of multi-channel coin chutes for coin collectors comprising a plurality of parts by .the complete elimination of the usual plurality of screw and nut assemblies or screws used heretofore in retaining the parts of such coin chutes in assembled relation. Furthermore, the assembly of the several parts is greatly simplified and when repairs are necessary to the coin chute the parts may be readily and quickly dismantled.

It is obvious, of course, that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment or application thereof herein illustrated and described, except insofar as is dened by the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A multi-channel coin chute for telephones, comprising a plurality of members having open coin channels formed in corresponding sides thereof, the opposite side of one member serving as a cover for the channel in the other member for retaining coins in the channel, a cover for said one member for retaining coins in the channels thereof, a plurality of elements having shouldered outer end portions carried by said members, the elements on one member extending through alined apertures formed in the other member, said cover having a plurality of key-hole slots, one corresponding to each element for interlocking with the shouldered portions of said e-lements to hold the members and cover in predetermined assembled relation, and a projection on said one member arr-anged to engage in a slot formed in said cover when said members and cover are interlocked for locking the members and cover together.

2. A multichannel coin chute for telephones, comprising a plurality of members having open coin channels formed in corresponding sides thereof, the opposite side of one member serving as a cover for the channel in the other member for retaining coins in the channel, a cover for said one member for retaining coins in the channels thereof, a plurality of elements having shouldered outer end portions carried by said members, the elements on one member extending through alined apertures formed in the other member, said cover having a pluralityof elongated slots, one corresponding to each element for interlocking with the shouldered portions of said elements to hold the members and cover in predetermined assembled relation, and a projection on said one member arranged to engage in a slot formed in said cover when said members and cover are interlocked for locking the members and cover together, said cover being formed slightly concave for holding the interlocked members and cover together under tension.

3. A multi-channel coin chute for telephones, comprising a member having open coin channels formed in one side thereof, a cover member for retaining coins in said channels, a plurality of elements carried by one of said members, each having a shouldered end portion, the other of said members having elongated slots interlocking with said shouldered elements to hold said members in predetermined assembled relation, and a projection on one of said members arranged to engage in a slot formed in the other of said members when said members are inter locked for locking the members together.

4. A multi-channel coin chute for telephones, comprising a member having open coin channels formed in one side thereof, a cover member for retaining coins in said channels, and a plurality of elements carried by one of said members, each having a shouldered end portion, the other of said members having elongated slots interlocking with said shouldered elements to hold said members in predetermined assembled relation, said cover member being formed slightly concave for holding the interlocked members together under tension.

5. A multi-channel coin chute for telephones, comprising a member having open coin channels formed in one side thereof, a cover member for retaining coins in said channels, a plurality of elements carried by one of said members, each having a shouldered end portion, the other of said members having elongated slots interlocking with said shouldered elements to hold said members in predetermined assembled relation, and a projection on one of said members arranged to engage in a slot formed in the other of saidY members when said members are interlocked for' locking the members together, said cover member being formed slightly concave for holding the interlocked members together under tension.

GEORGE L. CHERRY. VALENTINE H. DUPRE. 

